Pedophile gymnastics coach fled to Perth

A pedophile US gymnastics coach who fled to Australia to evade American authorities and continued to work with children in the sport in Perth has entered a guilty plea in a California court to possessing child pornography.

Derek Swede Godfrey, 48, flew to the Netherlands in October 2006, a day after US authorities executed a search warrant at his home near Sacramento.

His computers contained more than 400 videos and 5000 still images of children being sexually abused, including some "depictions of sadistic or masochistic conduct".

Godfrey, a dual US-Dutch citizen, initially resided in the Netherlands before relocating to Perth in 2012.

US prosecutors said Godfrey "was once again found to be coaching children's gymnastics" in Perth and "Australian authorities arrested Godfrey on charges unrelated to the charges in the United States".

Australian authorities agreed to extradite Godfrey to the US in April 2016 to face the charges pending in Sacramento.

Godfrey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years' jail and $US250,000 fine when he is sentenced in Sacramento in June.